Comments on: You are spending too long making your gamehttp://greyaliengames.com/blog/you-are-spending-too-long-making-your-game/
Casual Game Development and Positive ThinkingMon, 07 Jan 2019 12:41:10 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2By: Grey Alien Gameshttp://greyaliengames.com/blog/you-are-spending-too-long-making-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-61048
Grey Alien GamesThu, 08 Feb 2018 00:45:05 +0000http://greyaliengames.com/blog/?p=2914#comment-61048Hi Jason, I mean casual download (PC/Mac) portals such as Big Fish Games, Game House, iWin, WildTangent etc.Hi Jason, I mean casual download (PC/Mac) portals such as Big Fish Games, Game House, iWin, WildTangent etc.
]]>By: Jason Boltonhttp://greyaliengames.com/blog/you-are-spending-too-long-making-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-61047
Jason BoltonWed, 07 Feb 2018 23:09:18 +0000http://greyaliengames.com/blog/?p=2914#comment-61047Thanks for the information, we mainly stick to mobile games and focus mostly on the quick games for the same reason. Can I ask what you mean by "casual portals" as I just know that as a category on portals, is that free to play web based game portals or paid etc?Thanks for the information, we mainly stick to mobile games and focus mostly on the quick games for the same reason. Can I ask what you mean by “casual portals” as I just know that as a category on portals, is that free to play web based game portals or paid etc?
]]>By: Keith Weatherby IIhttp://greyaliengames.com/blog/you-are-spending-too-long-making-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-60917
Keith Weatherby IIFri, 02 Feb 2018 20:33:33 +0000http://greyaliengames.com/blog/?p=2914#comment-60917Well this puts a damper on my dream game. Of course if I don't expect to make much then maybe it's no so bad.Well this puts a damper on my dream game. Of course if I don’t expect to make much then maybe it’s no so bad.
]]>By: Loneship Gameshttp://greyaliengames.com/blog/you-are-spending-too-long-making-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-60888
Loneship GamesTue, 30 Jan 2018 21:58:49 +0000http://greyaliengames.com/blog/?p=2914#comment-60888I have a game that's been in the works for close to 2 years, but this is among other video game projects, college, and now a day job so I couldn't even tell you how many hours have really been spent on it. I can say I've learned a lot and become more confident in my programming, but it still makes progress feel woefully slow at times.I have a game that’s been in the works for close to 2 years, but this is among other video game projects, college, and now a day job so I couldn’t even tell you how many hours have really been spent on it. I can say I’ve learned a lot and become more confident in my programming, but it still makes progress feel woefully slow at times.
]]>By: Grey Alien Gameshttp://greyaliengames.com/blog/you-are-spending-too-long-making-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-60879
Grey Alien GamesTue, 30 Jan 2018 16:20:31 +0000http://greyaliengames.com/blog/?p=2914#comment-60879Hi Alex, yep agreed. I'm always a bit suspicious when I hear long dev times as to if the devs are really full-time or only part-time. Even if they are only part-time, the fact remains that markets and the zeitgeist change very rapidly, so taking a long time to launch can mean you miss the mark in those ways too.Hi Alex, yep agreed. I’m always a bit suspicious when I hear long dev times as to if the devs are really full-time or only part-time. Even if they are only part-time, the fact remains that markets and the zeitgeist change very rapidly, so taking a long time to launch can mean you miss the mark in those ways too.
]]>By: Alex Okaforhttp://greyaliengames.com/blog/you-are-spending-too-long-making-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-60870
Alex OkaforTue, 30 Jan 2018 01:06:44 +0000http://greyaliengames.com/blog/?p=2914#comment-60870One thing to point out that I've discovered over the years is several devs who claimed 3+ year Dev time usually don't disclose that half or more of that time was spent doing contracting or other part time work. They consider it part of working on game XYZ when IMO it shouldn't.One thing to point out that I’ve discovered over the years is several devs who claimed 3+ year Dev time usually don’t disclose that half or more of that time was spent doing contracting or other part time work. They consider it part of working on game XYZ when IMO it shouldn’t.
]]>By: Grey Alien Gameshttp://greyaliengames.com/blog/you-are-spending-too-long-making-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-60860
Grey Alien GamesMon, 29 Jan 2018 13:08:56 +0000http://greyaliengames.com/blog/?p=2914#comment-60860@Platyinum You are correct in that the Steam sales of Spooky and Regency are not great as most of their money was made on the casual portals. Shadowhand was targeted at Steam and has done better than those other two games on there. Quite a lot of Steam games are bigger and deeper than quicker casual games, but then also there are some quite small games doing great on Steam as well. Also in casual there are some quite big very polished projects as well.
I think we could have made Shadowhand a lot smaller and it would have sold the same number of units as people bought into the concept more than the hours of content which they didn't know existed before they bought it. Also with games aimed at Steam it's still possible to reuse your engine, which is what I'm planning to do with our next few games (reuse the Shadowhand engine)
Of course if I moved into a new genre, say Roguelike, I would have to code that engine from scratch (apart from core engine stuff I have already to handle UI etc), and that would be a longer project, maybe a year or so. But then I would be wise to reuse that engine and make another Roguelike in a shorter time period. I think indies maybe swap genres too often before they get good at one. Perhaps they get bored. Perhaps they look at poor sales of first attempt and change genre (sometimes validly), not sure why.@Platyinum You are correct in that the Steam sales of Spooky and Regency are not great as most of their money was made on the casual portals. Shadowhand was targeted at Steam and has done better than those other two games on there. Quite a lot of Steam games are bigger and deeper than quicker casual games, but then also there are some quite small games doing great on Steam as well. Also in casual there are some quite big very polished projects as well.

I think we could have made Shadowhand a lot smaller and it would have sold the same number of units as people bought into the concept more than the hours of content which they didn’t know existed before they bought it. Also with games aimed at Steam it’s still possible to reuse your engine, which is what I’m planning to do with our next few games (reuse the Shadowhand engine)

Of course if I moved into a new genre, say Roguelike, I would have to code that engine from scratch (apart from core engine stuff I have already to handle UI etc), and that would be a longer project, maybe a year or so. But then I would be wise to reuse that engine and make another Roguelike in a shorter time period. I think indies maybe swap genres too often before they get good at one. Perhaps they get bored. Perhaps they look at poor sales of first attempt and change genre (sometimes validly), not sure why.

]]>By: Playtinumhttp://greyaliengames.com/blog/you-are-spending-too-long-making-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-60855
PlaytinumMon, 29 Jan 2018 08:36:03 +0000http://greyaliengames.com/blog/?p=2914#comment-60855We are also a small studio making casual PC games in the solitaire, mahjong, match 3 etc. genres and operate with short game dev times and reuse of code. That said, I think when we talk about PC games and Steam, the targeted genres are quite different from the typical ones that we see on the casual game portals. Developers who are building games targeting the Steam gamer demographic are likely to find it difficult to create games in shorter times and make profit with the casual games. Maybe I am wrong but I suppose Spooky bonus or Regency Solitaire were never built for a Steam audience but Shadowhand was and hence took more time. If you consider only the Steam sales of all the 3 games would the hourly rate maths still hold. btw nice post and would like to read about your approach to new games with shorter dev times.We are also a small studio making casual PC games in the solitaire, mahjong, match 3 etc. genres and operate with short game dev times and reuse of code. That said, I think when we talk about PC games and Steam, the targeted genres are quite different from the typical ones that we see on the casual game portals. Developers who are building games targeting the Steam gamer demographic are likely to find it difficult to create games in shorter times and make profit with the casual games. Maybe I am wrong but I suppose Spooky bonus or Regency Solitaire were never built for a Steam audience but Shadowhand was and hence took more time. If you consider only the Steam sales of all the 3 games would the hourly rate maths still hold. btw nice post and would like to read about your approach to new games with shorter dev times.
]]>By: Grey Alien Gameshttp://greyaliengames.com/blog/you-are-spending-too-long-making-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-60840
Grey Alien GamesSat, 27 Jan 2018 18:38:57 +0000http://greyaliengames.com/blog/?p=2914#comment-60840@Crecente Well it depends on the deal, the might just put money into marketing/PR, or they might also pay for art/audio, and they might even pay for some/all of the development. The % they claim might vary hugely of course too.@Crecente Well it depends on the deal, the might just put money into marketing/PR, or they might also pay for art/audio, and they might even pay for some/all of the development. The % they claim might vary hugely of course too.
]]>By: Tomhttp://greyaliengames.com/blog/you-are-spending-too-long-making-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-60838
TomSat, 27 Jan 2018 18:04:43 +0000http://greyaliengames.com/blog/?p=2914#comment-60838Thanks for the reply, cool to know. I really enjoyed Regency Solitaire btw, great game :)Thanks for the reply, cool to know. I really enjoyed Regency Solitaire btw, great game
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